Comparison of the effects of three different (-)-hydroxycitric acid preparations on food intake in rats

J. van de Louter Haar, P.Y. Wielinga, A.J. Scheurink, A.G. Nieuwenhuizen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies on the effects of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA) in humans are controversial. As differences in the HCA preparations may contribute to this apparent discrepancy, the aim of the current study is to compare different HCA-containing preparations in adult Wistar rats. DESIGN: The effects of 3 different HCA-containing preparations (Regulator, Citrin K, Super CitriMax HCA-600-SXS, all used at an effective HCA dose of 150 and 300 mg/kg, administered intragastrically) on food intake and body weight were studied in adult male Wistar rats. The efficacy was tested under 2 different experimental conditions: 1) after a single dose administration and 2) during repeated administration for 4 subsequent days. RESULTS: Regulator and Citrin K significantly reduced food intake in both experimental setups, while Super CitriMax HCA-600-SXS was less effective. When administered for 4 subsequent days Regulator and Citrin K diminished body weight gain. CONCLUSION: Regulator and Citrin K were shown to be potent inhibitors of food intake in rats, whereas Super CitriMax HCA-600-SXS showed only small and more inconsistent effects. The striking differences in efficacy between these 3 preparations indicate that low doses of a relatively low-effective HCA preparation may have contributed to the lack of efficacy as found in several human studies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)23
JournalNutrition & Metabolism
Volume2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2005

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